diff --git a/osa_toolkit/filesystem.py b/osa_toolkit/filesystem.py
index 4e302628b6..b8caa73bd4 100644
--- a/osa_toolkit/filesystem.py
+++ b/osa_toolkit/filesystem.py
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ def load_inventory(preferred_path=None, default_inv=None, filename=None):
 
     if inventory is not False:
         logger.debug("Loaded existing inventory from {}".format(file_loaded))
-        _make_backup(load_path, file_loaded)
     else:
         logger.debug("No existing inventory, created fresh skeleton.")
         inventory = copy.deepcopy(default_inv)
@@ -264,6 +263,10 @@ def save_inventory(inventory_json, save_path):
         inventory_file = file_find(save_path)
     else:
         inventory_file = os.path.join(save_path, INVENTORY_FILENAME)
+
+    if os.path.isfile(inventory_file):
+        _make_backup(save_path, inventory_file)
+
     with open(inventory_file, 'wb') as f:
         f.write(inventory_json.encode('ascii'))
         logger.info("Inventory written")
diff --git a/osa_toolkit/generate.py b/osa_toolkit/generate.py
index 6ddd731eae..f5ec98711a 100755
--- a/osa_toolkit/generate.py
+++ b/osa_toolkit/generate.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #
 # (c) 2014, Kevin Carter <kevin.carter@rackspace.com>
 
+import copy
 import json
 import logging
 import netaddr
@@ -1109,6 +1110,9 @@ def main(config=None, check=False, debug=False, environment=None, **kwargs):
     # Load existing inventory file if found
     inventory, inv_path = filesys.load_inventory(config, INVENTORY_SKEL)
 
+    # Make a deep copy for change comparison
+    orig_inventory = copy.deepcopy(inventory)
+
     # Save the users container cidr as a group variable
     cidr_networks = user_defined_config.get('cidr_networks')
     if not cidr_networks:
@@ -1199,7 +1203,9 @@ def main(config=None, check=False, debug=False, environment=None, **kwargs):
         num_hosts = len(inventory['_meta']['hostvars'])
         logger.debug("%d hosts found.", num_hosts)
 
-    # Save new dynamic inventory
-    filesys.save_inventory(inventory_json, inv_path)
+    # Save new dynamic inventory only if modified
+    if orig_inventory != inventory:
+        logger.debug("Saving modified inventory")
+        filesys.save_inventory(inventory_json, inv_path)
 
     return inventory_json